A Purpose Born
by Xeal II
Summary: Cloud discovers an old journal, containing within its yellowed pages the story of Professor Gast & Ifalna; of how Aerith came to be. Bittersweet and very Clerisy.
1. Chapter 1

**A Purpose Born**

**Chapter 1**

Cold. It was the first sensation that crept into his bones, that shivering numbness which surrounded him, enveloping him and threatening to consume him. Snow fell gently across the windswept land, lazily wafting down from the silver clouds far above, obscuring his vision as the snowboard shifted beneath him. The dwindling visibility did not deter the man as he continued to build up reckless speed, gliding down the seemingly endless incline ever faster. The world seemed to be bathed in glorious, angelic whiteness, as if the man had entered into an endless paradise of beauty.

Yet the man felt none of this as he sped down the long, winding course. Cloud could only feel the cold seeping into him, the numbness which briefly fell over his tortured heart. He had believed his friends when they told him a vacation would do him good, that it would help him forget that emptiness in his soul, but it had only made things worse. He knew somewhere over those mountains, buried deep in an ancient gorge, lay the forgotten capital of the ancients. Deep inside the depths of sacred water lay the only cure for his ailing heart, the only meaning in his life.

Cloud had long left the others behind him, and for a moment he felt the bitter pang of regret at having ruined their own enjoyment of this place with his deep-seated misery. Lost in his own thoughts, flying ever-faster down the dangerous slope, Cloud never noticed the gradual buildup of stormy weather until it was upon him, gusts of wind flinging him about like a ragdoll as he lost control, careening down the slope as he tumbled endlessly. He felt the sickening crunch of bone in his leg as he landed against a fallen tree, careening around it and skidding to a halt.

Shaking his head to clear the snow from his goggles, he latched on to a branch and pulled himself forward, sheltering his fragile body against the roiling snowstorm. Pain coursed through his veins as he took stock of his own injuries, staring down at his leg, bent at an unnatural, sinister angle. In a sense it had been the only moment in which his mind had lingered on something other than her, the only time he didn't see her face in his thoughts, or hear her voice in his heart. And for that brief release from his burden, he was eternally grateful. The physical pain meant nothing to him as he leaned his back against the uprooted trunk, laughing at the irony of the moment. He had beaten down so many vicious monsters, defeated the most heinous of men, filled with limitless evil... and it was to be a snowstorm that was fated to kill him. He held no illusions of rescue, knowing that he had strayed far off the beaten path in his reckless plunge. It didn't matter, in a sense he welcomed death. He had been silently wishing for it ever since he had watched her die, watched the sword plunge through her fragile body, watched the eyes drain of life even as she smiled at him. Those beautiful eyes haunted his dreams, those soft lips seemed to brush against his in the shadowy world between dreams and reality, and her endless wisdom graced his ears whenever he quieted his mind enough to hear her sweet, kindly voice.

The errant thoughts brought out a flush of anger, a hatred which had never truly abated even long after Sephiroth had been defeated. His fist lashed out against the lifeless tree, smashing against it with all the strength his broken body had remaining, even as his leg twitched slightly in intense pain. Against unforgiving, frozen wood, he had half-expected to smash his own hand in the process, but instead his fist flew through soft dirt and came to rest on something soft, something... man-made. Curiosity overcame his pain for a moment and he reached deeper inside, pulling out the strange object, covered in decaying cloth and clumpy, frozen soil. He carefully unwrapped the rotting cloth, his sudden need to know overcoming his rage, as he revealed the plastic-wrapped contents within.

An ancient book lay before him, it's pages yellowed and faded with age, preserved only by the biting cold which never truly left this place. Cloud removed a glove and reached for a lighter in his pocket, striking up the miniscule flame, the only warmth remaining in this cold world. He gently warmed the side of the book, careful to keep the flame from touching the old tome, unsticking the frozen pages for the first time in decades. With gentle hands he opened the cover, it's label long since worn off by dirt and grime, and began to read, ignoring the pain that coursed through his body...

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_Ancients: Historical Research Project  
Professor Gast_

_I am finding that conducting research of this nature without the funding or manpower of Shinra, Inc. is not as difficult as I imagined previously. The local people are far more cooperative with my efforts than at any site I have visited while working with Shinra's people. Ultimately the local legends are far more useful to me than an army of soldiers who are just as like to destroy evidence as to find it. Still, I cannot help but wonder if my choice was a wise one. There is no leaving Shinra when you know as many of their dirty secrets as I do, and I cannot help but know, as my involvement in many of them was precisely what drove their research forward. I deserve death, I have committed so many sins in the name of science, through my own naïveté and youthful innocence. Now I truly understand my sins, and perhaps in some small way my quest here, far away from Shinra's power-hungry President, will serve to make amends to the planet I have wronged so grievously..._

...It was far too cold in the resort town for the man's taste; he had greatly preferred the temperate climates of Nibelheim or the tropical weather of Costa Del Sol. Still, this was the last place Shinra would look to find him, and in that sense it was perfect. No one at that bureaucratic monstrosity would honestly believe that he would walk across the frozen wasteland in an effort to pursue his research of the Ancients at the most obvious of locations. When others expect great subtlety out of you, it pays to be obvious, the man thought as he smiled to himself for a brief moment. But realization that he would be here, in the freezing numbness of the far-north, probably until the end of his days, wiped the grin away almost as quickly as it had appeared. Even here in town he had to be careful not to become too cozy with the outsiders who vacationed here, though he knew the locals would bring no trouble, they hated Shinra almost as much as he did, and if anyone recognized him, they said nothing.

Technically he was still a Shinra employee, on a long leave of absence to conduct research at his leisure when and where he pleased. But they had made it clear that he was to return with something of equal value to the unprecedented freedom they were allowing him, or not bother to return at all. He knew he was walking a fine line with Shinra's leadership, who tolerated his bizarre request only because of the immense value he had been to the company's Jenova project and SOLDIER programs. Sooner or later they would cease to find him useful, and dispose of him like any other employee who learned just a little too much about the company's dark secrets. He had not been surprised to find Shinra agents following him around the world, and he had only lost them with immense difficulty.

He wrapped his faded scarf around his neck more tightly, careful to avoid wasting any precious body-heat, as he trudged through the town's main thoroughfare. A few of the townspeople nodded to him along the way, still a little wary of the strange hermit who was constantly out exploring the wastelands and asking bizarre questions about the area's ancient folk tales. Professor Gast, the mind behind the most insidious of Shinra's experiments, trudged into the general store unceremoniously, sniffling as he shook off some of the errant snow which had stuck to his thick coat. It had been well over a month since he had last come to the store for supplies and he was surprised to find someone new working behind the counter.

The scientist within him began categorizing her features almost out of habit, attempting to ascertain where she was from and what she would be doing here in the ass-end of nowhere. Her eyes were a vibrant green, an exceptionally rare eye color, especially among the races which were normally associated with the far north. Her hair was unusual for the area, falling from her pale face in long, curled locks and cascading brown strands; few people in this town bothered with such obvious care. Even her expression didn't fit well with the area, most people here were either blithely happy, enjoying their vacation in this frozen hellhole, or driven to misery endlessly serving the demanding tourists. He simply couldn't read this woman's expression, almost as if she wasn't quite human. Despite his usual neutrality on the subject of women, for he had no experience or talent with them, he found himself appreciating her for more than the sum of her features.

"You are new here." The professor commented matter-of-factly.

"Yes, the owner has kindly given me a job. Can I help you with anything?" Her voice was soft and sweet, it possessed an almost ethereal quality that was oddly soothing.

"I know where everything is located. Thank you. Might I inquire as to what brought you to this place?" Gast asked, his voice still monotone and scientific. She smiled softly, chuckling slightly with amusement.

"You speak so... formally. I'd ask you the same thing." She replied, her features bright and lively.

"I have historical research to conduct here. I am interviewing some of the local folk on various legends and myths about the Ancients, have you heard of them?" The professor asked, his mind focusing on the potential for new information.

She chuckled a moment longer and then mocked his tone of voice, speaking as if she were pretending to lecture.

"Why yes, I am quite familiar with the Ancients. Perhaps you should interview me, I could provide a great deal of pertinent information." She added, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Is something funny about all this?" Gast asked, annoyance creeping up into his voice as a strange nervousness came over him.

"I'm sorry. You just talk differently than the rest of the folk around here. Maybe we're starting off wrong. I'm Ifalna, nice to meet you." She said simply, but the grin was still there. Gast found himself strangely drawn to the woman, in the same manner as he was drawn to his research. Ifalna was so mysterious, so out-of-place in this freezing wasteland; she represented the unknown, which had always held great appeal for him.

"I am... Professor Smith." He lied. Certainly the last thing he needed was some stranger reporting his whereabouts to Shinra after all of the effort he had expended to keep them away from his research. Still she didn't appear to be any kind of threat... she had a manner about her that immediately put one at ease. No wonder the old shopkeeper had hired her, he thought.

"And I'm one of your Ancients." She replied sarcastically. "So what's your real name?"

"That is my name." Gast lied again, his voice cracking. She just nodded, a thin smile crossing her full lips; she was obviously not convinced. Her eyes were mesmerizing, and for a moment Gast caught himself staring into them longingly, almost forgetting what he had come here for. Scarlet flushed on his cheeks as he turned away and began fumbling for the neatly ordered list he had brought with him. Finally digging it out of his coat pocket, he shakily opened up the carefully folded piece of paper... only to drop it on the floor.

"Are you alright?" She asked sweetly as she slipped out from behind the counter. As he forced himself to his feet, wondering what bizarre episode had just come over him, he opened the list and went over it in his mind, calming himself and restoring his balance.

"My apologies, it's the cold you see... walking into this warmth was...uh... a shock." He said nervously, his eyes refusing to make contact with hers.

"Mmhhmm it is much warmer in here." She smiled sweetly. For a brief moment her hand lightly brushed his as she took the list away and he felt goose bumps travel up his spine. "Okay, I'll take care of this list for you, just sit down over there, relax and warm up." She continued.

Guilt clouded his conscience for a moment; he hadn't intended to make her run all over the store fetching his goods. He was more nervous now than he had been during his first lectures. Confusion followed, and Gast decided that he would just file the event away as anomalous behavior, to be properly explained later. The scientist felt an odd desire to see more of the strange woman, and decided that an interview with her could prove useful.

"That should be everything on your list Mister Smith." The woman laughed briefly as she set the various foodstuffs and supplies on the counter. For a moment Gast simply sat there, his expression blank, as if wrestling with some deep philosophical issue. Finally he forced himself to his feet and began nervously counting the bills, despite the fact that he already knew the precise amount his goods would cost. She just giggled for a moment, obviously amused by the oblivious researcher.

"You're not very good around women, are you?"

"I am a scientist, Miss Ifalna, I have no need for uh... distractions from my work." His nervousness vanished; calm returning to him as he thought about his precious research. "In that vein, however, if you know anything about the Ancients, even if it is a folk tale or myth, please come to my laboratory near the edge of town. I pay well for any information that helps with my research."

"I'm not really interested in the money, but if I can help, I'd love to." Something changed in her eyes then, those sparkling green orbs focusing someplace distant, almost as if she were peering into his soul, staring right through him as if his innermost thoughts were utterly transparent to her. The entire experience was unnerving, and it reminded him briefly of his instructors at the university ages ago as they had handed out final examinations, peering at the students as if just looking them in the eye could tell them if the person would pass or fail. For the first time since meeting the mysterious woman he began to seriously believe that she knew far more than she let on.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

**Several weeks later**

Twilight cast the snow-covered world in deep purple tones, with only the smallest sliver of orange illuminating the endless horizon. Chilling winds echoed all around, their haunting cries an echo of the deep pain still felt by the living planet. Most of the townspeople were indoors now, far from the numbing cold and looming darkness. Yet to Ifalna, this white nothingness was her homeland, the only place on the planet where she felt truly alive. Sometimes she questioned her decision to leave the empty, forgotten capital, but life had long ago left that place. It was merely an empty shell, an echo from ancient history persisting only for the moment. Someday the ruins too would fade into the planet, vanishing in the manner of her entire race.

A small cabin lay near by, lit by the glow of strange machines and unnatural technology. As a Cetra, she had never needed these mechanical things; she lived in the world of magic, in a world connected with a deeper understanding of the planet and all the glorious life that existed within its majestic beauty. Yet the scientist who had made his way here intrigued her in a way she could not explain. He was the first to come here who had any true understanding of the Cetra and their connection with the planet. Even though his rudimentary fixtures of modern technology were his only link to the deeper world around him, he continued to seek the planet's knowledge for the sake of wisdom anyway, undeterred by roundabout method by which he had to make his discoveries.

Darkness was there too, growing deep within the man, she had seen it in his manner, she had heard it in his voice. He carried an exceptional burden of guilt, some dark knowledge, some grievous mistake for which he sought redemption here, in a land once filled with her kind. She could not deny the strange kinship she felt with him, the bond of common purpose, to understand and communicate with the world around them. But there was something else there, something that made her giggle and smile despite the seriousness of their lives. The nervousness he felt around her brought a smile to her face, the innocent way he looked at her made her giggle as if she were still a little girl, but most of all she saw that he could never lie to her, not without giving everything away in an instant with his eyes. He was wise beyond his years, and yet still maintained a hint of boyish innocence, and it was that which drew her to him.

They had met dozens of times over the past several weeks, ostensibly to discuss the legends and hints of information she had dropped purposefully as she tested his integrity. Unlike the foreign and bizarre courtship rituals of normal people, the Cetra went for what they wanted. With that intense bond with the planet and the Lifestream itself, they knew with a strong certainty what their hearts desired and wasted little time in useless indecision over its pursuit. Still, Gast didn't realize it yet, even though she could feel the connection between them that had snapped into place over the past several weeks. This was why she had left the capital, this is why the planet had pushed her to go; there was some greater purpose to be born of all this, though even with her wisdom she had no inkling of what it might be. It now only remained to convince him of the fact, but she knew he would do that well enough for himself when the time came. Her hand reached for the doorknob, but he opened it first, gazing into her eyes with obvious longing as he smiled and waved her in. In that moment, she decided to tell him the truth.

"Good evening Miss Ifalna. Please, have a seat. Tea perhaps?" Gast had become noticeably calmer around her, that earlier boyish nervousness beginning to fade.

"I've told you, just Ifalna. And certainly, tea would be nice" She smiled warmly at him. Every now and then she would catch herself even talking a little like him, picking up on that strange, stilted manner of speech. It brought a smile to her face when she caught herself doing it. He poured a cup of warm tea, stirring it slightly as he set it down in front of her.

"Before we begin, I have a confession to make. I must apologize for giving you a false name..." he began as she stifled a laugh, "Yes I know you didn't believe me... I don't know why I was dumb enough to say 'Smith' but in any case, I am Professor Gast."

"I hope that means you trust me now." Ifalna replied sweetly.

"That goes without saying. Okay, Let's see here... where did we leave off. Ah yes. The legend about destruction from the skies. What can you tell me about it?" He began. His formality had softened somewhat since meeting her, and he began to feel strange warmth within himself whenever she was near. The professor had finally understood the strange and foreign emotion he had been attempting to come to terms with for the past few days. How strange it was to know that he was falling for her. She was so different from anyone he had ever met, so pure, so incredibly wise and breathtakingly beautiful. He could never tire of those beautiful eyes, those full lips, that gorgeous pale skin, so much like an angel. Suddenly he realized he had been staring into her eyes the whole time, and hadn't looked away, hadn't felt that pang of nervousness. She didn't speak at first, letting the moment linger as she just smiled gently...

"I have my own secret to tell." She began. The professor was riveted, his entire being focused on her next words. "I am.. what you call an Ancient. A Cetra."

Any other researcher would have laughed at the statement and continued with the questions, but Gast knew she wasn't making a joke. In some small way, he had always known what she was, ever since seeing into her eyes that day they first met.

"Well." He began. "That changes things somewhat."

_...I cannot explain all of the knowledge that I have gained, all of the deeper understanding which had eluded me for all this time. Ifalna told me things before, stories and legends of another time, of the race of beings which had inhabited this place long ago. I had known for some time that Jenova was not an ancient, that had been my terrible sin, and I had despaired of ever finding one. I shall despair no longer. Far from the little hints and scraps of information that she has dropped over the past several weeks, far from even my wildest dreams... She told me what she truly was... Here I have been studying the feeble remains of the centuries, what little that time, in its mercy, has left for me to study. And all along history was right in front of me, across the table... answering all of my questions with that glint of emotion in her eyes. Ifalna..._

The night seemed to go on forever, the endless stream of questions flowing forth freely from his mind, his smile growing ever wider as a strange happiness overtook him. As a researcher, happiness was a successful experiment, a sudden insight which gripped the mind with furious intensity, and certainly this amazing revelation qualified. And yet, this was different, it was happiness just to be with her, just to hear her voice and see her smile. A sudden, intense wave of feeling overtook him in that moment, as he looked down and realized at some point in the intense barrage of questions and answers, her hand had wound up intertwined with his. She smiled lovingly at him and the questions stopped. He shutoff the video camera, content to review the session at a later date... a much later date. Nervousness returned again and he almost shook with the intensity of the moment.

"Come walk with me, there's something I want to show you." Ifalna began. The professor could only reach for his coat and scarf soundlessly and follow her outside.

Darkness had overtaken the world, the stars shone brightly in the cloudless sky, twinkling from the vastness of space and time. Her breath condensed in the frigid air as she reached for his hand, her eyes sparkling with feeling. The researched wrapped his hand in hers, smiling with a joy he had never known before.

"You know of the Lifestream." She said wistfully, gazing into the sky as they walked across the snowy land beyond the town.

"Yes, the raw, unrefined Mako energy which courses through the planet." Gast replied simply.

"It is more than that, so much more. It speaks to us all, perhaps a Cetra can hear it better than most, but can too if you quiet your mind." She continued her voice almost a whisper.

For a moment they stood there, alone in the freezing darkness, without any sound, without any noise... Then he heard it, a faint echo in the breeze, a faint cry from something deep within the Earth and yet all around them. It was like the call of a myriad of souls, crying out in pain, crying for release from eternal torment.

"It sounds... wrong somehow. The tone is not one of happiness, that I am sure of." Gast responded after several moments.

"Yes, the planet is still healing its ancient wounds in the crater north of us. You asked about the destruction from the skies.. it was a creature that nearly wiped out the Cetra. It mimicked our form and tried to destroy the planet, but we confined it..." She stopped as Gast released her hand and shook violently with the revelation, horrified by what he had wrought.

"Jenova." He spat.

"You know of it?" Ifalna replied, her tone suddenly changing.

"I released it. It's why I came here to absolve myself, I thought it was a Cetra at first, I thought I had found... we injected it's cells... well Hojo did that, the whole thing horrified me and... Sephiroth! The child, it will... oh no... what have I done?" His usual coherent manner and flawless speech broke apart into the chaotic ramblings of a madman. It was his fault, no one else's. He had released the destruction from the skies. Suddenly he was intensely afraid that Ifalna would reject him, that she would cast him aside for his horrible sin. But her hand found his and squeezed it gently.

"That's why I had to find you... I didn't understand until now." Ifalna replied softly as she turned to him, looking into those deep brown eyes, haunted with intense guilt. She could not blame him, in his quest for knowledge he had made a grave mistake, yet he would not be the first or the last to do so. Her voice was soft, whispering comfort to him, as she leaned forward as if in a dream. The intense wave of emotions threatened to engulf the professor, but he could not fight it, he touched her cheek, feeling the soft skin, drinking in her scent. Their lips touched, and for a moment all was forgotten except the here and now, this single pinprick in time.

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**Nearly One Year Later**

The forgotten city, the ancient capital of the world, the last testament to the great civilization which had long fallen to ruin; it was the place of dreams. Gast wandered the empty city of the Ancients, hand-in-hand with Ifalna, passing by the decaying remains of what had once been homes filled with the life and love of a forgotten people. Memories seemed to hover just on the edge of awareness, the remnants of laughter, of children playing, of people wandering the streets in quiet conversation. He squeezed her hand gently, lovingly caressing it as he turned to face her. He touched the small of her back and leaned forward for a brief kiss. Never had he imagined walking these streets with her, the last Cetra, the Love he had never known he wanted so desperately. All around them he could hear the planet, so much clearer now, so much stronger here with her. For a moment he could almost imagine what it must be like to be a Cetra, to be so strongly connected to the living world which surrounded them.

"Are you sure?" Ifalna asked sweetly.

"Yes. I am quite certain my dear." Gast responded, and for a moment they laughed together at his formal speech, which had long since become a private joke between them. "Are you certain we do not need witnesses or officials?" He continued.

"Silly professor." She teased lightly.

The lovers stepped down into the cavernous chamber beneath the shell-house, the translucent, winding staircase descending into what seemed serenity, a haven which had not decayed or fallen entirely to ruin over the eons. A platform lay before them, shimmering with beautiful light which emanated from the heavens above. Ifalna fell to her knees solemnly in the center of the platform, her long red dress flowing around her as she motioned him forward. For a moment he hesitated, afraid to disturb the peaceful serenity of this place, but one look at her, the amazing woman he had never deserved, was enough to convince him. His footfalls echoed in the shimmering chamber as he walked up the steps, knowing he would walk down them a very different man.

Knees touched ancient stone, and he kneeled beside her, feeling the essence of the planet near. The planet's presence was so strong here, even for him, that he could not help but wonder what Ifalna felt...

...She kneeled in prayer, her eyes closed as she felt the essence of the Lifestream, the very living planet, within her. Among the Cetra, it was a very ancient tradition to come here, to cement two souls forever as one, bound to each other for eternity. It was not a thing to be done lightly, yet she had no doubts about its truth, about the feelings that coursed through their veins. Deep down she knew the planet's purpose in all this, the continuance of the Cetra line after she passed on to the Promised Land... with him. It would happen someday, to deny it was madness, but she wished desperately for as much time as could be allowed for them here, in this world. Something deep within the planet moved then, and her hands dropped to her sides, one reaching for his. In a single moment, it was as if they truly were one being, one soul... she could feel his thoughts; she could see his love for her, and his deepest pain. Ifalna knew she was as open to him as he was to her, and she felt that joy that coursed through him with the sudden connection.

Silence. She opened her eyes and smiled at him. She knew that behind those deep brown eyes and tall, slender frame lay a mind of incredible intelligence and understanding, and if any in the world could truly understand her, understand what it meant to be a Cetra, it was him. The playful innocence was there too, and she couldn't help but giggle for a moment, loving how he brought out that youthful innocence in her too. Some part of her wondered what their child would be like when the time came, and she found herself hoping that their child would keep that part of him she loved so much.

"That was... indescribable." He said finally, breaking the silence as they left the platform.

"No, that's what we call marriage." She smiled and he laughed as they climbed the winding stairs, leaving the holy place to slumber once again.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

**A Year Following**

Aerith. The name brought a wide grin to his face; that intense feeling of warmth building up in his heart. Long ago he hadn't even known he was capable of such feeling, of such love, and yet now he was here, with the most wondrous woman he could imagine. And Aerith...such a beautiful child; he knew instinctively that she was destined for something great, something wonderful. Ifalna gently rocked the little girl in her arms, smiling with all the love in her heart. As if some errant thought suddenly struck him, Gast sprinted into the adjoining room, the sounds of crashing equipment and boxes echoing from the laboratory complex.

"Found it." He said triumphantly as he attached the video camera to a tripod, recording the lovely scene in before him. Ifalna laughed quietly, fearful of waking the tiny child in her arms.

"Video again? You just got through taping!" But she smiled knowingly and kept rocking little Aerith.

"Please don't say it that way. It's our lovely daughter, both yours... and mine! Don't you want to capture her childhood on video?" He smiled, his stilted speech having long since fallen away from him, here, with his family. The equipment had long since grown dusty from disuse. What need did he have to research the Ancients any longer? A strange completeness descended over him then, as if he knew deep within his soul that he had accomplished his purpose in life. Ifalna grew somber for a moment, as if she felt some terrible sense of foreboding.

"If you keep doting on her like that, she won't grow up to be strong... Aerith is different from other children. I wonder what dangers await her..." She said somberly. Deep down he knew she was right. Aerith had a future full of great things, but even Gast shared that sense of terrible purpose looming over them.

"Never say that. I will protect you both. You and Aerith are my only treasures and I will never let you go." Gast responded with an intensity matched only by his love.

"I feel so much better now, darling. If I hadn't met you, I..." A knock on the door interrupted them, and as if she knew the time had come, Ifalna bundled Aerith up in her arms, clutching her tightly. Still, Ifalna smiled weakly, hoping that for once the planet was wrong, that for one time in all of history, events would turn out differently...

"Damn! How dare they intrude on our privacy." She replied weakly, still hoping that it was just one of the townspeople come to bother them about some event everyone was expected to attend.

"I'll send them away." Gast added as Ifalna, dreading this moment for so long, peeked around the curtains.

"Yes, at once! Who the devil? It… it's them!" All the blood drained from her face as fear gripped her heart. She had seen this moment in her dreams; sometimes such a deep connection with the planet was as much a curse as a blessing. Some things you just didn't want to see, even if they were destined to happen. As she backed away from the window, a Shinra trooper, clad in the deep blue colors of the company's ruthless legions, viciously kicked in the door and leaped inside, his weapon armed and pointed at the family. Awoken from her slumber, Aerith began to cry in her mother's arms, squirming around as if searching for the source of the sudden noise. A second soldier worked his way inside, cautiously scanning the small dwelling for signs of resistance, glaring at the child with annoyance. Satisfied with their surroundings, they motioned for another man to enter, a more sinister figure whose every move emanated a sadistic evil, a callous lack of any sort of moral foundation.

Hojo smiled sadistically, the corners of his mouth turning upwards with cruel delight as he eyed the child and her mother. He turned to Gast then, his unkempt hair shifting about his face, nearly obscuring his dark-rimmed glasses. Laughter came from deep in his throat, a cold sound without trace of humor or amusement; it was the laugh of one who had long ago given up on his sanity.

"Heh, heh, heh... I've been searching for you, Ifalna... or should I say, Cetra! Long time no see, Professor Gast!" The smile grew wider as he stared at the professor with an gleeful expression of triumph.

"Hojo... How did you know?" Gast asked as fear creeping into his voice. He had been at peace for the first time in his life, here with Ifalna. Aerith... she was his one regret. If Shinra decided they no longer needed him, she would have to grow up without him, without ever knowing him.

"Believe me, I had to turn over a stone or two to find you. Two years I waited... That's how much I wanted this new sample... heh heh." Hojo chuckled to himself, his voice filled with chortled glee.

"...New sample? You don't mean Aerith?" Gast was practically screaming with rage now. Shinra had used him yet again. All this time he thought he had outrun them, thought that he had escaped. I should have known better, he thought, no one escapes Shinra. His eyes flicked around the room, coming to rest on those he loved so dearly. There was Aerith, crying softly as Ifalna desperately tried to calm their child, the living proof of their love. Aerith's eyes looked up at him for a brief moment, and he saw that shimmering green within them that she had inherited from her beautiful mother. Gast wished he could smile, wished he could hold her in his arms one last time, but it was not to be. Tears began to fall from Ifalna's cheeks as she laid Aerith down in her crib.

"Hmm. Aerith? What a nice name... heh heh." Hojo continued laughing and even the normally emotionless troopers seemed perplexed with the insane researcher.

"That's it! I'm severing all ties with Shinra. Hojo, leave this place." Gast shouted angrily. But before Hojo could reply, Ifalna knelt before the mad scientist, pleading desperately. She had seen this moment in her dreams and yet she couldn't bear to lose him. The last Cetra, alone, had wandered this world despairing and without hope for the future of her kind, or even for an end to her endless solitude. After so long alone and afraid she had found him, or he had found her. There wasn't another soul on the planet she had ever felt so connected to. Even if it meant her own death, she owed him this, she owed her daughter this, to spare her the fate of living as a rat in an insane researcher's cage.

"Please, Aerith has nothing to do with this. All you really want is me, right?" She began as the tears ran down her face, splashing onto the floor beneath.

"Ifalna!" Gast couldn't believe what he was hearing. He had to protect her, he couldn't let his old associate take Ifalna away.

"Please don't put up a fight. I don't want any harm to come to my precious sample." Hojo smiled, almost daring them to try something. Behind him the guards readied their weapons with deadly earnestness. It was then that the scientist noticed the camera, still whirring with life. He turned to it then and laughed into the lens.

"Mmm? What a funny looking camera. Guard! Destroy it!" the madman laughed maniacally as one of the guards smashed the butt of his gun into the lens, knocking the tripod over and scattering glass shards everywhere.

"Be careful with her! Heh heh." Hojo yelled as one of the guards reached into the child's crib. As the soldier touched Aerith's tiny form, Gast lost all sense of self-control. Nothing else mattered to him, he could feel nothing but hatred surge within him, boiling rage flushing his cheeks as his teeth clenched together. The professor leaped for Hojo's throat, chocking the scientist with all the strength he could muster. Hojo gasped for air as his arms flailed about in a futile attempt to push Gast off of him. A singular purpose gripped Gast's mind as he gripped Hojo's neck with increasing force, squeezing the life out of the deranged researcher, feeling the black hatred flow through him.

Somewhere in the back of his mind he registered Ifalna's cry, her voice calling out his name, but even her love couldn't reach him now, here in the midst of darkness. He released a hand to smash it into the researcher's face, feeling the soft crunch of the man's nose breaking beneath his fist. Blood dripped from Gast's hand, but he didn't care anymore, he pounded it into Hojo's face time and time again. The Guards were screaming for him to stop, but they dared not shoot with the two of them so close together.

"Ifalna, take Aerith and run, go!" He screamed desperately. But it was to no avail, the guards struggled violently with the Cetra, knocking her to the floor and kicking her viciously. One of them finally overcame his reluctance to fire so close to Hojo, and shots rang out, echoing through the icy village. Ifalna screamed his name, but Gast felt nothing even as the bullets passed through his flesh. His face leaned closer to Hojo's, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth as he squeezed harder, stronger, nearly breaking the madman's neck with intense anger. A deranged howl ripped from his throat as he smiled, blood staining his teeth crimson.

Suddenly, the strength faded from Gast's body, and a puzzled expression came across his features as he looked down, seeing the blood blossoming from the wounds in his chest. The professor fell backwards in a daze, his eyes finding Ifalna as tears began to well within them.

"Darling..." He wanted to say more to her, he wanted to tell her how sorry he was that he had failed to protect them. But blood gurgled from deep within his lungs, stifling the words. All he could do was stare into Ifalna's beautiful emerald eyes one last time, hoping that somewhere, somehow, she would understand him. Gast hoped that she truly realized how much he loved her, how grateful he was for the short time given to them. Memories flooded his awareness then, remnants of his childhood, laughing as he made his first discoveries. More came to him, bits and pieces of his education, of his early, innocent experiments. Lecturing fledgling students about the importance of science, about the importance of wisdom. But nothing stood out in his mind more than Ifalna. A smile seemed to creep onto his face as he remembered how nervous and afraid he had been when they met. Shimmering light came to him as he thought about that euphoric day they had gone deep within the ruins of her people's greatest monument, silently binding their very souls together, there in that serene, holy place. He would wait for her there; he would never leave her heart. Before the blackness took him, a final thought remained to him, a single word that echoed in his mind as his vision blurred and faded to darkness. Aerith...

Ifalna's scream was like that of a wounded beast, crying out into the abyss. She shuddered violently, screaming as she watched the life fade from his eyes. For that single moment she was cut off and alone, even the thoughts of the planet could not reach her. Warm tears flowed from her as she collapsed in despair, ignoring everything else around her. Her heart broke in that moment, shattering like ice cast against stone; even little Aerith felt the pain that flowed through her mother, and the tiny child began to sob and squirm within her crib. Ifalna felt as if she could no longer breath, her desperate gasps for air coming in great, heaving sighs. If it weren't for their child, the only proof outside of her own heart of the love they shared, she would have just let herself go in the moment, she would have refused to breathe, she would have embraced death just to escape the pain and be with him again. Aerith's cries broke Ifalna from her grief, giving her just enough strength to stand; the child was her only reason to live now.

Hojo struggled to his feet, a great bruise forming around his neck, blood dripping from his shattered nose. He dropped the useless remains of what had once been his glasses and he smiled at the body nearby, completely unconcerned over his brush with death. Flippantly he gestured to a Guard, pointing at the crib as he looked over the deceased professor's files. "Oh, and uh... don't forget the child!

A drop of blood splattered and Hojo wiped the crimson liquid from his face distractedly. Nothing else mattered but Gast's knowledge, the precious data contained within his files. Years of research into the power and strength of the entire Cetra race lay within. Buried beneath heaps of disorganized notes lay a video tape, and Hojo smiled with glee.

"Hmm, a video? The Ancients...Weapon!? Heh, heh, heh... a mountain of treasure! Thank you, Professor..." He laughed, spitting a broken tooth onto the corpse.

As the Guards watched the deranged scientist, Ifalna carefully reached for a book left laying on the table, open and unfinished, a pen still laying within its binding. She took the tome, the real record of her Love's life, his knowledge and his dreams. If she left it here, they would find it when they tore this place apart, but perhaps she could hide it just long enough to make sure it disappeared forever... a single tear traced down her cheek as she read his last words...

----------------------

_... and now I realize that I am complete. Knowledge means nothing without love, it becomes nothing more than data, a set of variables that lead endlessly to new questions more often than true answers. Understanding is what you arrive at when your research is done... and you return to those you love. What meaning would my life have without Ifalna, without Aerith?_

_----------------------_

Darkness had long descended over Cloud's world, the tiny flame he had nursed from pieces of bark and wood torn from the ancient tree was barely enough to read by, but he could not put the ancient tome down, he could not stop reading. He was delirious now, cold and alone in the freezing world, but that didn't matter. Gingerly he flipped to the last page, marked in different handwriting, distinctly more feminine and hurried. It was obvious to Cloud that Ifalna had finished the journal, writing the final moments in the story as some kind of tombstone for her lost love. A torn piece of fabric lay within the binding of the book, worn and faded with extreme age, a note scrawled above it.

_... It's fitting that I leave a piece of this behind. It was the first dress he had bought for me, and though I never really liked the color, I wore it often just to see the happiness it brought him. I'll leave this piece behind, and hope that if anyone ever finds this book, with its great knowledge and insight into my people, the planet and life itself... that you will know how to put it to good use. It's up to you now..._

A single tear traced down Cloud's face, splashing into the freezing snow as he closed the book, wrapping it up carefully. He held the tiny piece of stained, worn fabric in his hands, looking it over as if surprised it had somehow found its way to him. For a moment he toyed with it, then he took off his coat, feeling the bitter cold biting against his flesh. Cloud tied the tiny piece of fabric around his arm, just beneath the piece of faded pink ribbon that meant so much to him. As he wrapped the coat around himself again, he smiled warmly, ignoring the bitter cold which had seeped into him. That he had fallen across an unmarked slope, into this tree.. that he had thrown his fist into just the right spot... it could not be coincidence. The odds were so astronomical as to not even bear the slightest consideration. Love warmed him in the frigid darkness, for he knew now, more than ever, that Aerith was still with him, that she still watched over him... and waited.

Lanterns appeared across the windswept slopes, and Cloud knew they had found him. He didn't need to ask why or how they had found him, it was enough, simply, that they had. His head fell to the snow as he slipped into unconsciousness, and in that single moment between the dreamworld and the waking one, he heard Aerith's voice again and felt her presence within his heart.

"_Someday..."_ The voice echoed wistfully.

Fini


	4. Notes

**Author's notes**

I started this fic thinking I was going to write a one-shot, another 2000 word piece or so that highlighted some of the moments Gast and Ifalna had together. But somehow this grew into an epic, and then the idea to build it around the framework of Cloud finding Gast's research journal came to me... and that was that.

Anyhow, I wanted this to be a very... emotionally charged piece. I always view Ifalna and Gast's relationship as a sort of desperate one, in which they both probably knew they were doomed in the end. But more than that I wanted to show how I saw Aerith's parents... the wise, but lonely ancient and the extremely intelligent and yet still somewhat naïve professor. I saw them as separate pieces of Aerith's personality, their daughter taking the best from them both. And most of all I wanted to compare it to the short time Cloud and Aerith had, and show what might have happened... if time had been allowed for it. Hence why I wrap the story with another one dealing with Cloud. The whole thing is pretty bizarre and far outside my normal purview as a writer, so please review, let me know what you think.

Also, chapter 3 contains a lot of dialogue from the game, and if you haven't seen these hidden scenes, you'll want to go to the Icicle lodge. Somewhere (I forget how) you trigger an event where "videos" play back. There's a few interview snippets, with Gast asking Ifalna, who seems very trusting of him, about the Cetra. The last few snippets deal with Aerith's birth and Hojo coming by 20 days later... and, well, you've read the story so you know how that plays out.


End file.
